Malaysia, journalism and Star Wars

Two recent events occurred without much celebration in Malaysia. The first was World Media Freedom Day on May 3. This was subsequently followed by Star Wars Day on May 4. For myself, both hold almost equal value.

With the recent detainment of The Malaysian Insider editors and senior staff, we can all expect yet another tumble down the media freedom ranking next year. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad may have penned the poem of Malays forgetting easily, but the media fraternity is an exclusion; it never forgets.

To this day, you will still find people who went through the license withdrawal of The Star. These thoughts and trauma were brought back with the temporary suspension of The Heat's license as well as the continued threat of lawsuits against media for publishing news as well as opinions columns.

Both writers such as Malaysiakini's Susan Loone and even Malaysian Insider's Anisah Shurfa have seen themselves questioned at one time or another, with the former even being threatened with sedition in Penang.

Others, such as the teams in ABN News, and even Bernama and Radio Televisyen Malaysia or RTM have seen their pay docked, nonexistent or worse, their jobs altogether wiped out due to mismanagement or missing profits.

This is a horrible time for media, and it will not get easier. I will tell you all why.

Those of us who are die hard geeks of Star Wars fandom can draw parallels to Malaysian politics on way or the other. The recent political calling in Malaysia for a vote of no confidence against the current prime minister is akin to the political occurrence in Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

It is through the vote of no confidence in the galactic senate in the Star Wars universe that gives rise to the power of Senator Palpatine to become Chancellor.

Threats of phantom voters and even clones, as highlighted by a senior citizen in Permatang Pauh today, as well as the vast uncontrolled growth of population in Sabah due to what is dubbed as "Projek IC", is also in the science fiction universe as Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

Malaysia had undergone Episode III: Revenge of The Sith, during the period of the 1969 riots, some might deduce. However, that is not the case since Tun Razak gave power back to the people in a democratic election later on.

Instead, the parallel could happen if an emergency is declared in the coming years. And quite frankly, with all the threat of a repeat of the Taman Medan race riots, threats of another May 13 and even threats of a riot if Barisan Nasional loses a general election, you have to wonder if that time will come soon.

Or worse; the growing threat of Islamic extremism goes unchecked to the point of creating a schism in Malaysian politics leading to a threat to the federation. It could be ISIS, or it could be the hudud issue.

Thus creating a need for emergency powers to be granted to the government to counter the uprising.

And with so many ministers stuck with the mental acumen of Jar Jar Binks (even if they graduated with a 3.85 CGPA), it could just happen. Actually, poor Jar Jar might be smarter.

There are many parallels we can draw from science fiction, and the truth is perhaps stranger from time to time. But the truth is, strip away the fiction and you will find it grained in realities, even if romanticised beyond recognition.

Take for instance the history of politics and taxes.

Many draw parallels to how the GST is similar to America's spark in their War of Independence, without actually knowing that the taxes were not even paid for due to smuggled goods. This was not so recent, of course.

Let's consider a more recent one; the late Dame Maggie Thatcher was ousted due to the unpopularity of her want of a poll tax.

In both cases, taxes were the scapegoat that united a nation politically divided, which is also what we are seeing happening in real time Malaysia. Could it be the catalyst that leads to a popular ousting of the 60 plus years of Barisan rule, bringing "A New Hope" (Episode IV)?

Perhaps. Or perhaps it is a yet undetermined bunch who won't compare their leader to Gandhi and Clinton.

And as a closer; I leave the media with this final thought.

Not a single press conference, or reporter, or even journalist ever appeared in the entire course of the Star Wars series.

Either that, or you are all the Jedis and Siths.

With all these thoughts now playing in your head, members of the press fraternity, happy belated World Press Freedom Day, and may the force be with you.

-----------------------------

By Hafidz Baharom